326 REPORT OF THE 



on the small boy's string. Though reaching a considerable size and sometimes 

 used as food, it is not of much value for that purpose, as the flesh is soft and spoils 

 very soon after death, hence the name Rot-gut or Rot-gut Minnow, often heard in 

 southern Ohio, Indiana and southward. 



In the State of New York this is probably the most abundant and generally 

 distributed species of minnow. It is commonly known simply as " Shiner " and is 

 one of the species most extensively used for bait. It is usually easy to obtain 

 examples of any desired size up to 6 or 7 inches, for which reason this fish is used 

 in all sorts of freshwater angling where live minnows are employed. The larger 

 ones are thought excellent for muskallunge and pickerel or pike, those of some- 

 what smaller size for the two species of Black Bass, and those of 2 to a^/^ inches 

 in length are excellent for Yellow Perch. According to Mr. William C. Harris, this 

 minnow is extensively used for baiting trout, bass, pike, pickerel, muskallunge, and 

 eels by anglers who love the sport of catching fish more than the fun of merely 

 casting for them without a rise. 



The chief points which recommend the Common Silverside as a bait minnow are 

 its abundance and range in size. Its brilliancy of color, particularly during the 

 spring and early summer, and its activity are also characters which commend it 

 highly. It is not the most hardy of minnows, and, unless handled with care, will 

 not live well either in the live-box or on the hook. The scales rub off rather easily 

 and such injuries are only too apt to prove speedily fatal. At Lake Maxinkuckee, 

 Indiana, a noted angling resort, this species (there called Shiner or Silverside) is 

 held in very high esteem. It is regarded as the finest trolling minnow when the 

 water is not too warm. They will not stand it well when the water is above 70°. 

 They are regarded as the very best lure for Large-mouth Black Bass, for which 

 those 2 to 4 inches in length are preferred, though those up to 6 inches long are 

 taken by the largest bass. 



On the whole, however, this fish is probably the most important of all bait min- 

 nows ; doubtless more of this species are used and more fish are caught with it than 

 with any other minnow. 



Though varying considerably in color and structural characters in different parts 

 of its range, the following description will enable one to identify this species : Head 

 4^; depth 3}<(, but varying much with age; eye 4 to 5 ; D. 8 ; A. g ; scales 6-4 1 -3 ; 

 teeth 2,4-4,2, with rather narrow grinding surface. Body long in the young, shorter 

 in the adult, compressed, the anterior dorsal region much swollen and gibbous ; 

 head rather heavy, compressed, rounded between the eyes, the snout bluntish; 

 mouth moderate, nearly horizontal, the jaws nearly equal, the lower somewhat 



